UPNORTH Report

UPNORTH Fishing Report 12-30-2006 Jason Green
Perfect Conditions For Hard Water Anglers
The First Walleye Of The Season Tis the season to be Ice Fishing! We finally got the chance to get out on the ice, what an incredible feeling to be jigging walleyes through the ice again. Ice conditions in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area are actually pretty good. We brought the tape measure with, scrapped the snow and slush away and read 14" every time. The DNR stopped by and asked what we had for ice and said that we had enough ice to drive on. The problem I see is multiple vehicles in one area. As soon as there is one truck there will soon be others. We had our best luck the other day locating shoreline	Hole Hoping Seems To Be Producing More Numbers structure in roughly 15'-20' of water. Look for little fingers that extend out to deeper water with any kind of vegetation present. We have been drilling 12-20 holes on a certain piece of structure, grab the vexilar and start looking for bigger pockets of fish. If there is nothing on the flasher there is no reason to waist your time. Many people take the time to try and "Call" the fish in and they might pick a few but we choose to be proactive and go look for fish. Once we located fish normally there would only be a couple that would bite. We are using a Super-Glo Perch Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon with a small shiner minnow hooked through the tail. Once we have pulled the active fish we switched to Super-Glo Gold and were able to produce a couple more fish. When several minutes go by without a bite its time to move to the next hole. Wishing you a safe and Happy New Year!!!
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Duck Hunting Report 10-16-2006 Jason Green
Northern Minnesota Holding Strong Numbers
What an amazing week for waterfowlers! The weather couldn't be anymore ducky. Snow, rain, wind and low cloud cover really helped get the birds moving. One problem we ran into this week was to much wind. The past several days made it pretty difficult to make your way to the blind. An average of 30 mph winds with gusts	near 40 mph kept many hunters at home. With winds being so strong the birds haven't wanted to fly but who could blame them? On the days the wind would calm down it really put birds on the move. The Grand Rapids Area is holding good strong numbers in both puddle ducks and divers which is a little strange for this time of year. Usually this time of year we are seeing a lull but that's not the case this year. Most the birds we have been bagging still seem to be locals. The past two weeks we have been spending all our time on small rice lakes. These small rice lakes around Itasca and Aitkin Counties have really been incredible and they all seem to be holding good numbers. Most mornings the shorelines have frozen making the morning paddle a little interesting but still doable. It would be wise to make sure those big boats are ready to go. With the way the fall is progressing it won't be long.
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Duck Hunting Report 10-2-2006 Jason Green
Minnesota Duck Opener
Patiently Waiting For The Next Opportunity Another Minnesota Duck Opener has come and gone and for the most part it sounds like everyone did pretty well even with numbers being down. Not only are the bird numbers down but so is the water. Water levels are down on average 2-3 feet depending where you are in Northern Minnesota. Where water once was now it is exposing thick mucky mud. If you are not	quick on your feet the mud will suck you in making it almost impossible to break loose on your own. One advantage to the low water levels is that it has allowed the wild rice to flourish. It can make for an interesting paddle but it also attracts plenty of ducks. On the small rice lake we hunted opening weekend Ringnecks and Teal seamed to be the most common but there were also good numbers of Mallards, Gadwalls, Pintails, Redheads and a few Bluebills. High winds, sunshine and 60 to 70 degree weather made for an interesting weekend for waterfowlers but there were plenty of opportunities if your shooting was on.
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 9-11-2006 Jason Green
Fall Patterns Start To Set In
Cool nights and warm days have water surface temperatures dropping quickly. Most of our area lakes are now in the mid to upper 60 degree range. On calm hot days you can still see temperatures rise to 70 degrees but for the most part summer is on its way out. This is my favorite time of year! Fish are hungry and on the move. Geese are beginning to group up and duck season is just around the corner. On windy days we have been concentrating on shoreline weeds in roughly 8 feet of water. The main problem is finding good weed cover. With falling water temps vegetation is dieing and thinning out early. A 1/16 oz jig such as a Fireball or Sneaky Pete tipped with a Shiner or Rainbow has produced best. On most days we have had	The Fall Frenzy Is Right Around The Corner And With The Seasons Progressing Quickly It Could Sneak Up Faster Than Expected to use a slower dragging presentation with a slight hopping motion to put fish in the boat. As water temperatures fall snap jigging and quicker presentation will be needed. On Calmer days or when fish are suspended 1-2 feet off the bottom we are working the same areas but pulling Crankbaits. Staying on the outside edge of the weeds keeping your speed between 2-3 mph will put plenty of eyes in the box. Over the past couple of years I haven't done much Crankbait fishing but this year has really proven to be effective. Summer has come to an end and the kids are back in school but some of the open water seasons best fishing is right around the corner with plenty of other outdoor activities.
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 8-1-2006 Jason Green
HOT! HOT! HOT!
This 11 lbs 6oz. 32" Walleye Was Caught Just Before Dark While Rigging With A Crawler What a great week on the water but boy is it hot! Unfortunately it doesn't look like it will change much for the next few days. Daytime highs have been in the upper 80s to low 90s making for uncomfortable outings. With the unbearable heat, recently we haven't been hitting the water until 5:00-5:30pm. The walleye weed bite is still been pretty descent pulling a roach rig with a crawler or leech. It seems every day they are looking for something different. With starting our days later the shoreline weeds have been more productive then the deep water cabbage. While looking for Walleye this past week we have run into a few incredible pan fish bites. These same shoreline weeds have been holding good numbers of larger then	usual Bluegills and Sunfish. Once these schools are located we put away the rigs and dig out the slip bobbers with a piece of crawler or medium sized leech. The problem with the crawler is the small ones can rip it away. At the same time we have been running into some nice sized Perch. It seems lately the smaller pesky ones have been holding in the shallows but there are plenty of 10 + inchers in the deep cabbage. Once these schools are located we have been switching to small 1/16oz. jig tipped with a minnow or Northland's (Slurpie) Silver Shiner Pan Fish Tube. The Salted and Spiced plastic is much more durable allowing you to fish longer instead of constantly keeping your hand in the minnow bucket. Perch Are Showing Up Again In The Deep Weed Lines. This 14 Incher Was Caught Rigging With A Leech While Looking For Walleye
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 7-12-2006 Jason Green
Weeds And Walleye
Weeds And Walleye, The Perfect Combination As the summer progression enters full swing water temperatures are consistently in the mid 70 degree range making for some great fishing. The down side is fish are always on the move making each day different. This past week we have been moving away from the deep humps and working our way back to the shoreline weeds. The best bite the past couple of days has been from 10:00am till 2:00pm with another run in the evening as the day cools down.	During the mid day bite we have concentrated on deep cabbage. Locating cabbage in 20' of water and seeing growth up to 16'. When working the weeds we have been using a short Roach Rig tipped with a leech on most days. A 1/16oz bullet sinker will allow you to work through the vegetation. As the sun sets to the west we find ourselves moving shallower in roughly 10'-12' of water near the shorelines first main break. The Roach Rig is still working well at this time but we have had to add some length roughly to 8' and tipped with a whole crawler. This can be a great time of year! You never know what you might find in the weeds so come prepared for every situation. Good Luck!!!
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 6-26-2006 Jason Green
Massive May Fly Hatch Puts Anglers To The Test
This past week Northern Minnesota has experienced one of the worst May Fly hatches it has seen in many years. Even with an abundance of food present anglers are still finding success. Crappie- For the past several days we have been finding active schools of crappie just before dark suspended off steep shoreline breaks. Vertical jigging a 1/16oz jig or using a slip bobber with a plain hook tipped with a small minnow or piece of crawler has produced well.	Walleye- With an abundance of food present in many of the area lakes anglers should plan on covering a lot of water to find active fish. We have been keying in on main lake humps that on top are only big enough for one or two boats and peak at roughly 20'. Pulling a 5' Roach Rig has worked well for a couple fish per hump with a leech or crawler. Each school of fish on different humps seem to want something different to eat but over all a rig and leech has produced the best. Even in the most difficult of times anglers can catch fish. Just keep moving till you find a school and lunch will soon be served. Good Luck!
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 6-5-2006 Jason Green
1st Fish Fly Hatch Of The Season
It's Definitely Been A Big Fish Summer! It has been one of the most unbelievable Open Water Seasons I have ever experienced. I have never seen so many big healthy fish come in the boat. I would have to say on average we have been keeping maybe 1 out of every 5 for the fry pan. All though it can be disappointing at times, it is a good problem to have. Summer progression is shifting gears and is moving ahead of schedule forcing anglers to re-think their strategies. During the early a.m. hours or low light periods there is still a good shallow water shoreline bite. If you get out early enough a light Fire-Ball Jig tipped with a minnow is still producing well in the weeds but as the day progresses we find ourselves moving deep to mid lake humps.	When working mid lake humps we have been working smaller humps that top out around 18'-20' with a 3'-4' Roach Rig mainly tipped with a jumbo leech. Boat control has been the main issue when rigging. It can be extremely easy to get pushed off a mark in the wind when you are not paying attention. Make sure to keep your presentation as vertical as possible and move slow. The recent fish fly hatch hasn't effected the bite to bad at this point but as their bellies fill up I'm sure that will change forcing anglers to try new tricks to ensure a successful outing.
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
UPNORTH Fishing Report 5-26-2006 Jason Green
The Feeding Frenzy Begins
It's time to pack up your gear and the family and head to the 1000 Grand Lakes Area for a successful holiday weekend. The bite we have all been patently waiting for has arrived. Over the past couple of days water temperatures have risen to the low 60 degree range causing bait fish to school up in the shallows. What does this mean? Hungry active fish! The early cool mornings fish continue to be sluggish with spotty results but if you can find a heavy concentration stay on them. A slower presentation is needed to get them in the boat.	As the day warms up we have been moving quickly over the fish and pumping those jigs hard! We have been concentrating our efforts in 6'-8' of water on shoreline flats and points with signs of strong vegetation growth. If you can locate an area with sand/gravel or smaller rocks all the better. Using a 1/16oz Fire-ball on calmer days and a 1/8oz when the wind picks up tipped with a shiner has kept the rod bending. It is that perfect time of year to get out on the water with the family and create a perfect holiday memory.
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 5-15-2006 Jason Green

A Successful Opener For Many

Total Number Of Anglers Seemed To Be Down This Year But Many Fish Were Caught

Another Minnesota Fishing Opener has come and gone and it sounds like most anglers had a successful one. Cold temperatures, wind and rain made for uncomfortable conditions. For those who faced Mother Nature head on it was well worth their time.

What a feeling to be back on the water again! Even with a chill that penetrated to the core as soon as the rod bent it all went away.

The past week has kept water surface temperatures down ranging from 47-52 degrees. With temps being cooler a slow presentation is needed. We found that dragging a 1/16 oz Fireball Jig and lifting it ever so slowly worked best since walleye were sluggish but still hungry. After checking many of the usual early season spots we worked our way backwards towards ideal spawning areas. We concentrated our efforts on shoreline flats with sand and gravel. Working the outer edge in 8'-10' of water with a sharp drop into 25'+ produced the best number of eater sized fish.

Walleye have bounced back after the spawn and look to be plenty healthy but remember until the water starts to warm up to work it slow. We've got a Frenzy on the way!

Another Perfect Eater!

Walleye Have Bounced Back From The Spawn And Are Hungry And Healthy

See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 4-28-2006 Jason Green

Spring Progression Shifts Gears And Picks Up Speed

Schools Of Walleye And Pike Have Moved Into The Shallow Warm Water For An Easy Meal

Hay fever season is now upon us. Looking across the lake yesterday I noticed that the tree line was quite green giving an allusion that summer was here. Don't worry, Spring didn't just cruise by but changes are happening quickly.

Mother Nature continues to shift gears and pick up speed. We found water temperatures to be pretty consistent on a few different bodies of water in the Grand Rapids Area. Most of the shallower bays we found surface temps right around 54 degrees with the main deeper bodies holding just under 50 degrees. In these shallower bays we noticed crappie on the move. Most of the time we located crappie suspended off the first main break but they were on the move making loops into the shallows. This pattern made me think that they were looking for a place to spawn but not quite ready to go. Fishing these active slabs can be difficult at this time since they are constantly moving but if you can stay on them a small jig and minnow combination works well. I also had the chance to try Northland's new "Slurpies" line. The 2" Pan Fish Tube is incredible! It's soft and chewy. Salted and spiced with SowSauce and entices the reluctant biters. The new "Slurpies" line should be phenomenal this year for the opener. Just think how nice it would be with not having to reach in the bait bucket every couple of minutes when the water is so cold.

Kids Are Loving The Chance To Get Outside And Discover The Birth Of Spring

If our weather holds stable we should experience a rare 2006 fishing opener. At this speed fish should be totally recovered from the spawn and have their feed bags on making for that "Frenzy" bite we all love.

Check back often, we haven't even started yet!

Thousands Of Baitfish Can Now Be Seen Near The Shoreline

See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 4-21-2006 Jason Green

Spring Progression Ahead Of Past Years

If You Look Closely You Can See A Pair Of Mallards Behind The Timber. We Found What Looks To Be A Nest Close By.

Spring Progression in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area over all is ahead of schedule. Most of the area lakes were open roughly a week early compared to past years. With the unusually warm weather Mother Nature has kicked things into high gear.

Our smelt run for the most part is now over. I heard reports of a few good evenings but the main run took place while ice was still found on the lakes. The quick warm up seemed to really mix a few things up. Several of the area streams have both Pike & Walleye spawning creating an awesome site for spectators.

Cutfoot Sioux walleye stripping has been going strong for almost a week now and appears to be just about over. If you are not familiar with stripping it is a remarkable

process. Walleye are caught in nets and held till they are ripe. When ripe the eggs are stripped, fertilized and then taken to the fishery to hatch. After hatching many of the fry and fingerlings are stocked in area lakes.

Not only is Mother Nature kicking things into high gear but so are the area Resorts. New cabins, fresh paint, and the final touches to make your stay comfortable are wrapping up. A few even have their docks in waiting for your boat. If weather permits my boat will be hitting the water this weekend to hopefully take care of the spring itch!

If all goes as planned I will have a Pan Fish Report for you the beginning of next week.

The Sounds Of Geese Honking And Loons Singing Are A Perfect Sign That Spring Has Arrived.

See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 4-1-2006 Jason Green

Ice Out Begins

The change of seasons is finally upon us and soon anglers will find themselves pounding the waves again.

Earlier in the week I ventured out on one of our local lakes only to find unsafe ice. The shorelines are now receding and I had my spud bar break through several times. I figured if I had to worry that much about safety it wasn't worth it. Quickly I retreated back to the shore without even wetting a line.

Spring rains started to fall over the 1000 Grand Lakes Area yesterday and continue to clean up everything after

old man winter. What a beautiful site and the smell of Spring rain is a welcomed one. The wind is also picking up so it shouldn't take long to break up a few of our area lakes.

Check back often for a Spring Ice Out Report where we will be in search for massive slab crappie. Once the MN Fishing Opener is here you can expect a consistent weekly report.

Until May hope to see you at one of the many shows. Have a fun a safe Open Water Season!

See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 1-22-2006 Jason Green

Mother Nature Begins To Even Out The Season

It was once said to me that mother nature must keep the seasons even. So if you have unseasonably warm weather she is going to cool it down sooner or later. For a few days the cool down has graced Minnesota and thicker ice was being made quickly. In fact, we have found as much as 3 inches more this week.

As of lately we have been concentrating on finding those oh so tasty Jumbos and what a blast it has been. We have had the most action on steep shoreline breaks in 15'-18' of water or near by humps in roughly the same depth. While many different presentations have produced fish, tale hooking a crappie minnow with a silver shiner or super-glo Eye-Dropper has performed the best. With this type of flutter spoon very little motion is needed. Just let the minnow do the work and when it calms down give the rod a little twitch.

For anglers that are planning on fishing "Minnesota's Original" Golden Rainbow Ice Fishing Contest the date has been pushed back. Mark February 18, 2006 on your calendar. With over $100,000 in cash and prizes it will pay to drop a line in Forest Lake just 30 minutes north of the Twin Cities. Check it out! www.forestlakeicefishing.com

For Sale...2005 LUND 1800 Explorer...For Sale Go To www.upnorthinc.com for more information.

See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 1-3-2006 Jason Green

Starting The New Year Right

Ice Conditions Continue To Get Better And A Few Resorts Have Started To Plow Roads With The Recent Snow Fall

Happy New Year!!! I find it hard to believe that a whole year has gone by. I hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend with friends and family.

Fishing action in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area remains pretty much the same. We have been locating good numbers of perch in 6'-10' of water with a break into deeper water. Many anglers make the mistake of making a major move to soon. The over all bite has been slow with windows of excitement. Sitting tight through the slower periods has been paying off. To lure the fish into range I have been using a Buckshot Rattle Spoon tipped with a small minnow. The vibration and flash attracts the fish but normally has not got them to bite. To aid in this situation I rig a Doodle Bug or plain Glo hook with a float

in a hole right next to the the one I'm jigging. The Buckshot brings the curious ones in but usually the stationary presentation gets them. Once you have one on now begins your window for many times other fish will be enticed to bite.

We have also been finding perch and walleye out deeper on mid lake humps. Smaller humps that peak around 12'-15' have been doing pretty well using a similar presentation as the shallow water bite.

For Sale...2005 LUND 1800 Explorer...For Sale Go To www.upnorthinc.com for more information.

See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

UPNORTH Fishing Report 12-28-2005 Jason Green

A Happier New Year

With the New Year quickly approaching we finally made the time for our first hard water outing of the season. What an incredible feeling to be out again!

Over the past week warm daytime temperatures have caused most of the snow to melt making vehicle traffic easy. Minimal snow cover and falling mercury after dark are still aiding in making descent ice. Increasing ice thickness is allowing more permanent ice houses to congregate and small shanty cities are appearing across the frozen tundra.

It sounds like a good portion of anglers are spending their time hole hoping to produce fish. We had our luck

working a hump that peaked at 12 feet and went out to 19 feet. 18 feet near the base seemed to produce more fish throughout the day but now and then the rod would bend up top.

Quicker snap jigging and a teasing approach is getting a better response using an Eye Dropper, Buck Shot Rattle Spoon or Doodle Bug Spoon tipped with a small minnow or the head of a medium size shiner.

Have a safe and happy new year!

For Sale...2005 LUND 1800 Explorer...For Sale Go To www.upnorthinc.com for more information.

See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com

2005 Archived Reports

2006 Archived Reports